Hanger

ABSTRACT

A simple, removable hanger is provided for hanging items on a verticle mounting surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Home decorating often includes hanging pictures, wreaths and other ornaments on mounting surfaces such as walls and fireplaces. Especially when the wreaths and ornaments are temporary, such as seasonal decoration or during the holidays, it is often undesirable to install a permanent hanger, such as hangers mounted with nails and screws which often mar or damage walls, etc. This is especially a problem for masonry walls such as brick and stone fireplaces and for homes with plaster walls. Thus, a hanger which is easily removed and which does not mar or damage mounting surfaces would be a marked improvement over traditional hanging methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0002]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

[0003]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

[0004]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0005] The present invention provides a simple, removable hanger for hanging decorations such as pictures, wreaths or other ornaments on a verticle mounting surface such as a wall of a room which means is comprised of a vertical member having two ends, said ends being made of non-skid material.

[0006] Reference is made to FIGS. 1 through 3 which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the hanger is comprised of a verticle member (1) having two ends (2). Along the length of the verticle member (1) may be situated one or more hanging means (3). The hanging means may be a fixed element of the verticle member, or may be a moveable element which provides for positional adjustments. The hanger further comprises a tension element which can be compressed for placement and which retains some tension once placed to retain said placement. Referring to FIG. 2, in some preferred embodiments, the verticle member may be comprised of two hollow portions, a first portion (4) which telescopes into a second portion (5) having slightly greater diameter. Telescoping of the two portions, one into the other, allows adjustment of the length of the verticle member (1) and facilitates mounting. The portions are generally of equal length. The verticle member further comprises a tension element (7) such as a spring set against a stopper, situated within portion 5, the exact position of the tension element within the portion (5) being adjustable depending upon the length of hanger desired. The tension element (7) maintains tension and holds the verticle member in place between two horizontal surfaces flanking the mounting surface. Thus, one portion is telescoped into the other, compressing the tension element. The hanger is put in place and the portions are allowed to expand away from each other in response to the tension element, and are held in place by the resistance of the tension created by the tension element and the resistance met by the flanking ends such as mantle and ceiling.

[0007] The vertical member (1) can be formed in a variety of shapes suitable to its use and is preferably a cylindrical or rectangular tube shape made of, for example, metal or plastic. One preferred embodiment is a tension rod. One or more hanging means may are spaced along the length of the verticle member equidistances apart or at other appropriate positions based upon the length of the verticle member and its intended use for centering or otherwise locating a decorative object on a mounting surface. Said hanger means (3) may include holes or filagree into which picture hangers or hooks may be fitted, or alternatively may be one or more tab- or hook-like members, extending perpendicularly from the vertical member onto which the ornament may be directly mounted. In still other embodiments of the present invention the hanging means (3) may be in the form of a ring which can slide along the length of the verticle member and is fixed in place by means of torsional constraints when tilted in the appropriate manner such as shown in FIG. 3.

[0008] In some embodiments of the invention are provided ornamental members which fit over unused hanger means so as to hide unused hangers from view. The ornamental members may be simple in design, or may be formed in a seasonal motif such as holiday motifs. The design of the verticle member may also include ornamentation fitting for a particular season. For instance, the verticle member may include cutouts, embossing or other decoration such as to invoke a yuletide motif such as holly leaves, snowmen, and the like.

[0009] The ends (2) of the verticle member are preferably made of a skid resistant material, most preferably a rubber material which does not mark light colored surfaces when contacted to them and which aids in restraining the verticle member in place.

[0010] The hanger may, in one application, be positioned between two horizontal surfaces such as a mantle and a ceiling over a fireplace, allowing a holiday wreath to be positioned on the wall over the fireplace, without the need for nails or screws introduced into the mortar. Alternatively, the hanger might be placed extending from the floor to the ceiling, in window casements or in other places in which two horizontal surfaces are in sufficient proximity so as to allow the placement of a vertical member between them. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A removable hanger for installing an object on a mounting surface comprising: a verticle member having two ends and at least one hanging means positioned along the length of the verticle member, said verticle member having a tension element which holds the verticle member in place between two horizontal surfaces flanking the mounting surface.
 2. The hanging means of claim 1 wherein the verticle hanging means is a tension rod. 